Takshak Nag is an holy spring situated in the village of
Zewan, 10 km to the east of
Srinagar. The spring stands intact within the embankments of chiseled stones, filled with pure and sweet water. The water source is at its north-east corner.
Legend says that saffron had originated from this spring, whose cultivation later spread to other parts of the country. It adds that the saffron bulbs were given to Hakim Waga Bhat by the Lord of the spring as a reward for curing his eye ailment.
Duirng the time of Akbar, Takshak Nag was highly revered by the cultivators who used to worship at the spring in the beginning of each spring season. The spring has been mentioned in the epic Mahabharata as a tirth in the list of tirthas - a testimony to its antiquity. It also had found a place in the work Rajatarangini by the great poet-historian, Kalhana, in which it is mentioned as a place of pilgrimage.
The pilgrims to Harishwar cave offer Puja here.
